Queenstown

One of the most popular destinations in New Zealand is the South Island township of Queenstown. This busy resort is located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and is surrounded by the impressive snow capped peaks of the Remarkables.

Many say it is the adventure capital of the world and it is hard to argue this, from bungee jumping to jet boating down the mighty shotover river it really is the place to be for those who love to get the adrenaline flowing. It dosn't stop when the sun goes down either, Queenstown, for a town of only around 8000 permanent residents has an impressive 7 nights a week nightlife.

There are a few walks up the hills around the township that I would recommend, one I did a few years back was a walk up Ben Lomond, this walk is fairly hard going but the rewards are some impressive views.

Getting There
As expected all the major bus companies travel to Queenstown including intercity and Newmans. Also a few shuttle companies include Queenstown in their schedule the major one being Atomic shuttles. If you are driving from Christchurch there are two main routes you can take, you can either head straight down SH1 and turn inland onto SH77 at Palmerston or the route I prefer to take is to head inland between Ashburton and Timaru onto SH79 which will take you through Tekapo and you could also take a side trip to Mt Cook

Places to Stay
You should also make sure you book well in advance expecially during the summer months as there is a high demand for accommodation in Queenstown.
Backpacker Hostels

Links
Destination Queenstown
Queenstown.com